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    Scholarships Available!

    August 17, 2022

    • Latest
    Apply for a $1000 scholarship to take the ​Science of Cannabis Certificate Program being offered by the McMaster Centre for Continuing Education! Email cmcr@mcmaster.ca to apply.

  • Do drivers who get into motor vehicle accidents have more THC in their system?

    January 26, 2022

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Brubacher JR, Chan H, Erdelyi S, Staples JA, Asbridge M, Mann RE. Cannabis legalization and detection of tetrahydrocannabinol in injured drivers. NEJM 2002;386:148-56
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    Are Canadian women using cannabis during pregnancy and lactation?

    January 19, 2022

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Bartlett K, Kaarid K, Gervais N, Vu N, Sharma S, Patel T, Shea AK. Pregnant Canadians’ perceptions about the transmission of cannabis in pregnancy and while breastfeeding and the impact of information from health care providers on discontinuation of use. J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2020;42(11):1346-1350 Vanstone M, Taneja S, Popoola A, Panday J, Greyson D, Lennox R, McDonald SD. Reasons for cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation: a qualitative study. CMAJ 2021;193: E1906-14

  • What role may cannabis play in human reproduction and early life exposure?

    January 19, 2022

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Walker OS, Holloway AC, Raha S. The role of the endocannabinoid system in female reproductive tissues. J Ovarian Res 2019;12:3 Martinez-Pena AA, Perono GA, Gritis SA, Sharma R, Selvakumar S, Walker OS, Gurm H, Holloway AC. The impact of early life exposure to cannabis: the role of the endocannabinoid system. Int J Molecular Sci 2021;22:8576
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    What are the best approaches for researching cannabis use in women?

    January 19, 2022

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Kozak T, Ion A, Greene S. Reimagining research with pregnant women and parents who consume cannabis in the era of legalization: the value of integrating intersectional feminist and participatory action approaches. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Res Published online: 9 Dec 2020; https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2020.0086

  • What are the Canadian regulations regarding labelling cannabis products?

    October 13, 2021

    • Latest
    Hodgson, C., MacKillop, J.,& Busse, J. (2021) Knowledge Synthesis: Cannabis Labelling and Accuracy
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    What might be contaminating your cannabis?

    September 21, 2021

    • Latest
    Hodgson, C., MacKillop, J.,& Busse, J. (2021) Knowledge Synthesis: Contamination of Cannabis Products for Human Consumption.

  • Should CBD be used to treat people with alcohol use disorders?

    February 25, 2021

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Turna J, Syan SK, Frey BN, Rush B, Costello MJ, Weiss M, MacKillop J. Cannabidiol as a novel candidate alcohol use disorder pharmacotherapy: a systematic review. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43(4):550-563
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    Can CBD help people who are trying to stop using heroin?

    February 25, 2021

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Hurd YL, Sprigss S, Alishayev J, Winkel G, Gurgov K, Kudrich C, Oprescu AN, Salsitz E. Cannabidiol for the reduction of cue-induced craving and anxiety in drug-abstinent individuals with heroin use disorder: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry 2019;176:9110922

  • What does the evidence state about cannabis use among military veterans?

    February 25, 2021

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Turna J, MacKillop J. Cannabis use among military veterans: A great deal to gain or lose? Clinical Psychology Review 2021; available online 11/1/2021
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    What is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?

    January 7, 2021

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Gajendran M, Sifuentes J, Bashashati M, McCallum R. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: definition, pathophysiology, clinical spectrum, insights into acute and long-term management. J Investig Med 2020;66:1309-1316

  • Are there therapeutic benefits of cannabinoid products in adult mental illness?

    January 6, 2021

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Tibbo PG, McKee KA, Meyer JH, Crocker CE, Aitchison KJ, Lam RW, Crockford DN. Position Statement of the Canadian Psychiatric Association: Are there therapeutic benefits of cannabinoid products in adult mental illness? Can J Psychiatry 2020
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    How often does cannabis-induced psychosis convert into schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders?

    November 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Starzer MSK, Nordentoft M, Hjorthoj C. Rates and predictors of conversion to schizophrenia or bipolaer disorder following substance-induced psychosis. American Journal of Psychiatry 2018;175:343-350.

  • Can cannabis reduce benzodiazapene use for anxiety treatment?

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Purcell C., Davis A, Moolman N, Taylor SM. Reduction of benzodiazepine use in patients prescribed medical cannabis. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 2019;4(3): 214-218.
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    How are Canadian students engaging with cannabis?

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Wallingford S, Konefai S, Young MM. 2019 Cannabis Use, Harms and Perceived Risks among Canadian Students. Technical Report. 2019; Ottawa Ont: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.

  • How do cannabis laws impact teen cannabis use?

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Anderson DM, Hansen B, Rees DI, Sabia JJ. Association of Marijuana Laws with Teen Marijuana Use: New Estimates from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. JAMA Pediatrics 2019;173(9):879-881.
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    What is the relationship between cannabis use and violent behaviour?

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Schoeler T, Theobald D, Pingualt J-B, Farrington DP, Jennings WG, Piquero AR, Coid JW, Bhattacharyya S. Continuity of cannabis use and violent offending over the life course. Psychological Medicine 2016;46:1663-1677.

  • What is the influence of cannabis use on alcohol use and smoking

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Roche DJO, Bujarski S, Green R, Hartwell EE, Leventhal AM, Ray LA. Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana consumption is associated with increased odds of same-day substance co- and tri-use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2019;200:40-49.
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    What is the impact of legalization on workplace and traffic safety?

    March 19, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Els C, Jackson TD, Tsuyuki FT, Aidoo H, Wyatt G, Sowah D, Chao D, Haoffman H, Kunyk D, Milen M, Stewart-Patterson C, Dick BD, Farnan P, Straube S. Impact of cannabis use on road traffic collisions and safety at work: systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Journal of Addition 2019;10(1):8-15.

  • What might happen to a fetus exposed to cannabis in utero?

    February 14, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Fish EW, Murdaugh LB, Zhang C, Boschen KE, Boa-Amponsem O, Mendoza-Romero HN, Tarpley M, Chdid L, Mukhopadhyay S, Cole GJ, Williams KP, Parnell SE. Cannabinoids exacerbate alcohol teratogenesis by a CD1-Hudgehog interaction. Scientific Report 2019;9:16507
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    Do people discuss natural health product use, including cannabis, with their doctor?

    February 14, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Ng JY, Garber A, Luong M, Cooley K, Busse JW. No improvement in disclosure of natural health product use to primary care medical doctors in the last 15 years: A survey of naturopathic patients. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2020;19:101-106

  • How are adults using medical cannabis in the US?

    February 14, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Dai H, Richter KP. A National Survey of Marijuana Use Among US Adults with Medical Conditions, 2016-2017. JAMA Network Open 2019;p2(9):e1911936
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    What happens to lung cells that are exposed to cannabis smoke?

    January 13, 2020

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Aguiar JA, Huff RD, Tse W, Stampfli MR, McConkey BJ, Doxey AC, Hirota JA. Transcriptomic and barrier responses of human airway epithelial cells exposed to cannabis smoke. Physiological Report 2019;7(20):e14249

  • How safe is cannabidiol?

    June 13, 2019

    • General
    • Latest
    How safe is cannabidiol?

    EXTERNAL LINK

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    How does attending a better school affect cannabis misuse in adolescents?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Dudovitz RN, Chung PJ, Reber S, Kennedy D, Tucker JS, Shoptaw S, Dosanjh KK, Wong MD. Assessment of exposure to high-performing schools and risk of adolescent substance use: a natural experiment. JAMA Pediatr 172(12):1135-1144 Accompanying editorial: Liljenquist KS, Coker TR. Addressing risky health behaviors among vulnerable youth through the school environment. Location, location, location. JAMA Pediatric 2018;172(12):1119-1120

  • Should physicians recommend replacing opioids with cannabis?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Humphreys K, Saitz R. Should physicians recommend replacing opioids with cannabis? (Viewpoint) JAMA 2019;321(7):639-640
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    Does cannabis use among adolescence predict subsequent depression, anxiety, and suicidality in young adulthood?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Gobbi G, Atkin T, Zytynski T, Wang S, Askari S, Boruff J, Ware M, Marmorstein N, Cipriani A, Dendukuri N, Mayo N. Association of cannabis use in adolescence and risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in young adulthood. A systematic review and met-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry Epub. February 13, 2019

  • How might genetic variation contribute to different responses to medical cannabis?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Hryhorowicz S, Walcsak M, Zakerska-Banaszak O, Slomski R, Skrzypczak-Zielinska M. Pharmacogenetics of cannabinoids. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2018;43:1-2
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    How do the analgesic effects of cannabis relate to the brain’s neural activity?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Weizman L, Dayan L, Brill S, Nahman-Averbuch H, Hendler T, Jacob G, Sharon H. Cannabis analgesia in chronic neuropathic pain is associated with altered brain connectivity. Neurology 2019;91:e1285-e1294

  • Are Canadian medical cannabis patients using cannabis to treat mental health conditions?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Turna J, Simpson W, Patterson B, Lucas P, Van Amerigen M. Cannabis use behaviors and prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in a cohort of Canadian medicinal cannabis users. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 111L134-149
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    How does cannabis use affect quality of life among patients with head and neck cancers?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Zhang H, Xie M, Archibald SD, Jackson BS, Gupta MK. Association of marijuana use with psychosocial and quality of life outcomes among patients with head and neck cancer. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018;144(11):1017-1022

  • How do the acute effects of cannabis differ between smoking and vaping?

    May 8, 2019

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Spindle TR, Cone EJ, Schlienz NJ, Mitchell JM, Bigelow GE, Flegel R, Hayes E, Vandrey R. Acute effects of smoked and vaporized cannabis in healthy adults who infrequently use cannabis, a crossover trial. JAMA Network Open 2018;1(7):e184841 Invited commentary: Solowij N. Peering through the haze of smoked vs vaporized cannabis – to vape or not to vape? JAMA Network Open 2018;1(7):e184838
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    Video Archive of Stakeholder Roundtable and Discussion

    October 25, 2018

    • Event Summaries
    • Latest
    The Impact of Impending Cannabis Legalization: A Stakeholder Roundtable and Discussion. An archive of the video footage from the event.

    EXTERNAL LINK

  • Statistics Canada Crowd Sourcing Survey

    July 6, 2018

    • Latest
    In anticipation of the legalization of cannabis Statistics Canada is gathering, compiling and publishing data on both the medical and non-medical use of cannabis. Click to see more and complete the survey.
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    What are the cognitive effects of cannabis use? A talk by James MacKillop

    July 3, 2018

    • Event Summaries
    • Latest
    Dr. James MacKillop provides an overview of the effects of cannabis on cognition, including acute effects, chronic effects, neuroanatomical localization, and practical recommendations.

  • Does legalizing medical cannabis reduce the number of opoid prescriptions in the US?

    May 18, 2018

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why were these studies conducted? What do these studies add? Is there anything else I should know? Bradford AC, Bradford WD, Abraham A, Adams BG. Association between US state medical cannabis laws and opioid prescribing in the medicare Part D Population. JAMA Intern Med 2018; Published online April 2, 2018 doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.0266 Wen H, Hockenberry JM. Association of medical and adult-use marijuana laws with opioid prescribing for Medicaid enrollees. JAMA Intern Med 2018; Publish online April 2, 2018. Doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.1007.
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    Conference 2018: Presentation-Jane-Metrik

    May 11, 2018

    • Event Summaries
    • Latest
    The pharmacological and expectancy effects of cannabis on problem behaviors. A talk by Jane Metrik, Ph.D. from the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University.

  • What effects does smoking cannabis have on the respiratory system?

    April 27, 2018

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    This Evidence Brief will summarize what is known about smoking cannabis and its acute and chronic effects on the respiratory system.
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    Is there an increased risk for fatal car accidents on April 20th?

    April 18, 2018

    • Latest
    • Research Summaries
    Why was this study conducted? What does this study add? Is there anything else I should know? Staples JA, Redelmeier DA. The April 20 cannabis celebration and fatal traffic crashes in the United States [Letter]. JAMA Internal Med 2018; 178(4):459-571

  • What is the relationship between medical cannabis legalization and opioid-related mortality?

    April 6, 2018

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    Preliminary evidence suggests that legal availability of cannabis for recreational purposes may reduce opioid-related deaths, at least in the short-term.
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    What does the evidence show about cannabis for veterans with PTSD?

    April 2, 2018

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    A 2016 survey of almost 2,800 regular force veterans found approximately one out of six (16.4%) reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This Evidence Brief reviews the literature regarding prescribing cannabis for PTSD in a veteran popluation.

  • Welcome to McMaster’s newest research centre

    November 1, 2017

    • Article
    • Latest
    Medicinal cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001 but research has not kept with up with its use and there are significant and concerning gaps in our understanding of its risks and benefits.
    The CMCR Leadership team
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    Are there any guidelines to lower a person's risk when choosing to use cannabis?

    November 1, 2017

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    Key Takeaways: Cannabis users can reduce the risk of harm by avoiding high-risk practices, most notably: use before early-mid twenties, use of high-THC product, combustion inhalation, daily use, and driving while impaired.

  • What are some of the chemicals in cannabis sativa?

    November 1, 2017

    • Evidence Briefs
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    Guest Blogger: Robert T. Gale is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University. He can be reached at galert@mcmaster.ca
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    Who could benefit from medicinal cannabis?

    November 1, 2017

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    Type “benefits of medical cannabis” into Google and you’ll get links to articles such as “23 Health Benefits of Marijuana” and “50 unexpected benefits of cannabis (you might not know).” Sounds great. Given this sort of hype, it’s not surprising that large proportions of physicians say they had been asked by patients to approve medical cannabis. [...]

  • Who shouldn't use medicinal cannabis?

    November 1, 2017

    • Evidence Briefs
    • Latest
    When recommending any therapy, a healthcare provider and patient need consider both the potential benefits and risks. What information is available to guide them when it comes to medical cannabis? [...]
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